| Abstract: | Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) based on polyacrylamide and polyvinyl alcohol for hydrogel capsules were synthesized. These polymer networks were evaluated as drug-delivery devices using Crystal Violet and Bromothymol Blue as model drugs. The observed drug release is higher for semi-II-IPN than full-IPN. The drug-release behaviors from these capsules were analyzed by the exponent relation Mt/Mα = Ktn, where “K” and “n” are constants and Mt/Mα is the fraction of the drug released until time “t.” The constant “n” was found to be above 0.5, which suggests that the release of drug from the capsules follows the non-Fickian diffusional model. The mechanical behavior of hydrogel disks were also analyzed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
